Reducing-valve



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1. N. C. LOCKB. REDUCING VALVE.

Patented May 24, 1892.

2&2. il

AVI/fl (No M0de1-) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. N. LOCKE.

REDUING VALVE.

Patented May 24, 1892.

(No Model.)

` N. C. LOCKE.

RBDUCING VALVE.

No. 475,585. Patented May 24, 1892.

.3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

wAvERLI N E.

UNITED STATES PATENT @ruina .NATHANIEL CHASELOCKE, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

REDuclNe-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent'No. 47 5,585, dated May 24, 1892.

4Application tiled March 27, 1891. Serial No. 386,661. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may-concern,.-

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL CHASE LOCKE, of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Reducing-Valve, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making a part hereof, in which- Figure I isa central lengthwise section illustrating one form of my reducing-valve. Fig. 2 is a lengthwise central section of a somewhat different form of my invention.4

Fig. 8 is like Fig. l, except that two parts are wholly omitted, and certain other parts are not shown because fully shown in Fig. l.

Reducing-valves designed to separate a high-pressure chamber from a low-pressure chamber, and yet permit a sufficient quantity of steam or other fluid or liquid to flow from the high-pressure chamber into the low-pressure chamber, have long been known.

My invention is a reducing-valve in which the valve proper is controlled by a diaphragm which divides a shell or casing into two waterchambers, one water-chamber being connected to the'low-pressure chamber and the other to the high-pressure chamber, as will now be more fully described by reference to the drawings.

In Fig. l, A represents the valve-casing, divided into two chambers-the high-pressure chamber A and the low-pressure chamber A2-by the partition a, upon which the Valve l5 is seated. The regulating-diaphragm D covers a chamber d, which communicates with the low-pressure chamber A2 in this instance through port d. The regulatingdiaphragm D is backed up by its adjusting-spring in the usual manner. All these parts (with the exception of the tubular stem b of valve B and the hollow stud d3, that enters it, which constitute ateature of my invention, fully described below)are too well known to require description, the diaphragm D preventing the free escape of steam into chamber d, and thence through port d to low-pressure chamber A2 whenever the pressure in chamber A2 is not sufficient to move diaphragm D against the force of its adjusting-spring, as is com-` mon in well-known forms of apparatus of this class.

F is a shell connected by pipe a with cas- 4iingA and divided into two chambers F F2 lby a iiexible diaphragm f, which actuales disks f', and through stem b of valve B also opens and closes valve B. In order that shell F may always be f ull of water, I make pipe a long enough to bring shell F at a proper distance to keep it at such a temperature that the condensed steam will properly supply it. The water fills the shell F and stands in pipe a and stem b; but the water-level indicated in the drawings will vary with the length of ,pipe a. The chamber F must communicate `with the high-pressure chamber A', so that vhigh steam or other high-pressure fluid or liquid rvcan How from A to F', and cause pressure in chamber F sufficient to lift disks f', stem b, and valve B, whereupon steam or the like flows from A to A2, thereby increasing the pressure in A2; but as soon as the pressure in A2 reaches a desired point it will actuate regulating-diaphragm D,for the pressure in diaphragm-chamber d is always lthe same as the pressure in low-pressure chamber A2. As diaphragm D is moved against its spring, it allows a freer escape of steam from chamber d2, and as chamber d2 communicates with chamber F the pressure in chamber F is reduced when diaphragm D is moved against its spring, and as pressure in chamber F is reduced valve B is moved toward its seat on partition a, thus regulating the flow of steam or the like past valve B.

In that form of my invention shown in Fig. l the steam from high-pressure chamber leaks through the space between the stud d3 and the tubular stem b, that stud being an easy fit in stem h, but the passage-way for steam being so small that there will be little pressure comparatively in stem b and chamber cl2, except when diaphragm D closes the outlet from chamber d2, covered by valve d4; but obviously as long as valve d4 is held upon its seat by diaphragm D the pressure in stem Z7, chamber d2, and chamber F will approach the pressure in chamber A. As soon as pressure in chamber cl2, stud cl3, and chamber F rises suiiiciently diaphragm f, disks f', stem b, and valve B are moved, allowing steam to flow past valve B. The pressure in chamber A2 then rises until the pressure in chamber IOO A2 and in chamber (Z becomes suiiicient to lift diaphragm D and openthe exhaust from chamber d2, when the pressure in chamber d2, stem b, and chamber F begins to fall, as the steam can escape from chamber d2 past valve d4 faster than it enters past stud d3 and up through the bore in that stud but as the pressure rises in chamber A2 and d it also rises in chamber F2, which communicates with A2 through pipe a. Consequently as soon as the desired pressure is reached in chamber A2 and in chambers d and F2, also, diaphragm f, disks f', stem b, and valveBhave been moved to close valve B and prevent any further iiow past valve B until the pressure in chamber A2 is again reduced.

In Fig. 2 the construction and operation are much the same as described already; but the steam from high-pressure chamber A flows into chamber d2 through port d5 and past valve d6 when held open by the pressure of diaphragm D, and from chamber d2 to stem b and chamber F', as before; but when diaphragm D is raised valve d* is opened andvalve d shuts port d5, thereby preventing inflow of steam through port d5 and opening chamber cl2 to chamber d, as before. The valves d4 and d are on one stem, which is cylindrical and a nice tit where it operates as a valve,`

but filed away on four sides, as clearly shown in the drawings, to nallow steam to pass. It will be observed that valve d begins to`close port d as valve d4 begins to open the exhaust from chamber d2. In this form of my invention I prefer to cnt grooves in that part of stud d3 which enters stem b, in order to retard the low of steam.

The main feature of my invention is the combination, with the high and low pressure chambers A A2, of the watenchambers F F2, one connected with the high-pressure chamber through a port whose outlet is controlled by the regulating-diaphragm, while the other is connected to the lowpressure chamber, the variations in the pressure in these Waterchambers F F2 controlling the main valve B. It will be obvious that many changes in construction may be made and Ayet this main feature of my invention be availed of; but of all the constructions which I have contemplated I prefer that the port leading from the high-pressure chamber A to the Water-chamber F shall be formed through the stem of valve B (made tubular for the purpose;) and this is also an important feature of my invention, as it greatly simplifies the apparatus and lessens its cost. I have therefore shown both features of my invention embodied in two forms.

It is not essential that the outlet from the chamber by a controlling-valve and its seat, that valve and its seat, a second casing di- `vided into a high-pressure chamber and a lowport connecting A with F shall be controlled by valve d4 aswell as by diaphragm D, for the valve d4 may be omitted and the diaphragm D caused to close chamber d2 directly; andin many cases this is the preferred construction, for the valve d4 requires a spring, and both valve and spring may be dispensed with in most cases, the diaphragm itself acting as a valve to control the outlet from chamber d2. This is illustrated in Fig. 3, which is like Fig. 1, but with valve #and its spring omitted.

One of the main advantages of vmy apparatus over all other reducing-valves known to me is its great steadiness of operation,and this is somewhat improved by the use of plugs b b (each with a small hole) in the tubular stem b, and a plug a2 in pipe a', which also serves as a guide for stem b, for when diaphragm f and disks j move the water must be forced through plugs a2 and b', and therefore sudden motion is impossible, practically.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In combination, a casing divided into a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure pressure chamber by a diaphragm, that diaphragm, a connection between the controlling-valve and the diaphragm in the second casing, a conduit connecting the two highpressure chambers,a second conduit connecting the two low-pressure chambers, a third conduit whose outlet is controlled by a second diaphragm and forming an exhaust-port from the second high-pressure chamber, and

a second diaphragm controlling that third conduit, all combined and operating substantially as described.

2. In combination, a casing divided into a roo high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber by a controlling-valve and its seat, that valve and its seat, a second casing divided into a high-pressure chamber and a lowpressure chamber bya diaphragm,that diaphragm, a connection between the contro1- ling-valve and the diaphragm in the second casing, a conduit through the controllingvalve and connecting the two high-pressure chambers, a second conduit connecting the no low-pressure chambers, a third conduit connecting the conduit through the controllingvalve with the low-pressure chamber of the first casing, and a diaphragm controlling that third conduit, all combined and operat- 

